Last 17-22 May 2024, I, Joji Pantoja, Board Chair and President of Coffee for Peace, had the privilege of traveling to the island provinces of Sulu and Basilan in the southern Philippines. Accompanying me on this journey was Joseph “Ka Boyet” Ongkiko, Executive Vice President of PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. Our mission was clear and purposeful: to explore the potential for developing a sustainable coffee industry in these regions, fostering both economic growth and peace. We were invited by Maradeca Inc., a dedicated local non-governmental organization, and People in Need (PIN), a reputable international NGO. Both organizations recognized the transformative potential of coffee farming in these provinces and sought our expertise in designing a comprehensive training program for the local coffee farmers. This is part of the LEAP Project (Leveraging and Expanding Agri-Aqua Production), a groundbreaking initiative by PIN designed to boost economic development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/05/24/were-glad-to-be-involved-in-a-collaborative-coffee-industry-development-in-basulta/
In my work with PBCI, I have been learning about the Bangsamoro and their fight for self-determination and control over their ancestral domain. I’ve had the privilege of gaining insight into various aspects of this struggle. I have seen the impact of armed resistance, which has played a crucial role in establishing a degree of self-determination within their ancestral domain through the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The Bangsamoro’s journey to this point has fostered a deep sympathy for others with similar causes, most notably the Palestinians, whom many Bangsamoro ardently support. This support and connection to parallel struggles have deepened my understanding of the Bangsamoro’s plight and the broader fight for self-determination and control over ancestral lands.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/05/10/my-initial-understanding-of-the-shared-struggles-of-the-bangsamoro-and-palestinian-peoples/
Last Monday morning, 22 April 2024, our team was invited to listen to the dreams and aspirations of former combatants at Camp Bilal. The discussions happened at the office of MP Abdullah “Cmdr. Bravo” G. Macapaar. The ideas we were hearing resemble that of inclusive development through social enterprise. Brother Musa Mohamad Sanguila gave me time to briefly present the story of Coffee For Peace (CFP) and PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) as advocates and practitioners of Social Enterprise. It seems Commander Bravo and those around him, especially Ma’am Naglah Lailah Amenah Sanguila, liked the idea. Commander Bravo promised to officially invite us to conduct a training on Coffee Social Entrepreneurial Initiative. In Shaa Allah, we will return to start a partnership with this community.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/04/30/a-vision-of-transforming-milf-camp-bilal-into-a-social-entrepreneurial-community/
Last Saturday, 13 April 2024, at around 20:00 GMT, Iran launched a massive aerial assault on Israeli territory, marking the first-ever direct attack from Iranian soil. The attack, dubbed Operation True Promise by Iran, comes just two weeks after an Israeli strike on its consulate in Syria. The Iranian assault lasted approximately five hours. Explosions reverberated across Israeli cities, prompting air raid sirens in over 720 locations as Israeli forces scrambled to intercept the projectiles. This drew applause from many Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday as rare payback for the Israeli offensive on their enclave. While many of my fellow Christian leaders are beating the war-drums calling the US and the Western powers to strike back at Iran, many of my Bangsamoro friends and colleagues celebrate Iran’s attack. Although I understand and sympathize with my Moro brothers and sisters as they perceive the Iranian military action as justice for the Palestinians, my inner conviction calls me to be faithful as active, nonviolent justice advocate and peacebuilding worker.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/04/15/a-reflection-on-the-attack-on-israel-by-iran-perspectives-from-an-anabaptist-peacebuilder-in-mindanao-philippines/
Last Wednesday, 27 March 2024, our team at PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) participated in the 10th Year Commemoration of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) at Camp Darapanan, the Administrative Offices of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The MILF presented a Plaque of Appreciation to PBCI in recognition of our “unwavering support to the Bangsamoro Peace Process” and for our “tireless efforts to promote peace and development in Mindanao.” Our President & CEO, L. Daniel ‘Lakan’ Pantoja, received the plaque on behalf of our community. The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) is a peace agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), aimed at ending decades of conflict in the Bangsamoro region.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/03/31/milf-recognizes-pbci-for-our-unwavering-support-to-the-bangsamoro-peace-process/
In a landmark move towards combating poverty and fostering inclusive growth, the submission of Senate Bill 782 or the Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship (PRESENT) program marks a significant milestone. “The essence of the PRESENT bill,” Joji Pantoja explains, “lies in its commitment to empower communities through social entrepreneurship.” By recognizing the impoverished not merely as recipients of aid but as active participants in the economic landscape, the program aims to create sustainable solutions to systemic issues. Ms Pantoja was invited to the Philippines Senate to share the vision of collaborative progress, where communities are equipped with the tools and resources to uplift themselves. “Through the PRESENT Program,” Joji adds, “we embark on a journey towards a more equitable and prosperous future… let us embrace the power of social entrepreneurship to transform lives and build thriving communities.”
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/03/13/joji-speaks-at-the-senate-of-the-philippines-to-promote-senate-bill-782-also-known-as-the-present-bill/
Last 08 March 2024, our PBCI-CFP Team travelled to the Ancestral Territories of the Talaandig Indigenous community to participate in the 12th Affirmation of Kinship among Indigenous Peoples, Bangsamoro, and Settlers. As active participants in the tri-people kinship affirmation, we have been privileged to witness firsthand the profound impact of kinship in promoting peace and unity throughout Mindanao. Since its inception in 2012, this annual celebration has stood as a beacon of hope, reminding us of the deep-seated connections that bind together the Indigenous Peoples (IPs), Moros, and Settlers of our cherished region. For us, the highlight of this kinship affirmation is our inter-faith prayer. Through our collective prayers and supplications, we affirm our common humanity and recommit ourselves to the pursuit of love, joy, justice, and peace for all beings.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/03/11/through-prayers-and-ritual-of-unity-we-celebrated-our-kinship-with-the-peoples-of-mindanao/
